Thursday, May 29, 2003

No arrests yet in gang fight, shooting case

By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., May 29, 2003 -- Arrests have yet to be made in last Saturday's
shooting incident, in which two people were grazed in the head by a bullet
and a third person was assaulted with a baseball bat at the 2300 block of
Country Club Drive.

Pecos Police Lt. Kelly Davis said that they are currently processing
evidence and are still investigating the 2 a.m. Saturday incident.

"It is too early to really tell what happened," Davis said.

He added that while people are still coming in and giving statements,
he did not have any additional names on those involved.

According to Davis the first call came in at 2 a.m., about shots being
fired out at the 2300 block of Country Club Drive. Davis said that Pecos
Police Sgt. Ismael Gamboa, Patrol Officers Cesario Urias and Julio Quinones,
Reeves County Deputy Danny Leos, and Texas Department of Public Safety Senior
Cpl. Emmit Moore and Trooper Richard Crum responded to the scene.

One of the victims, later identified as Mike Garcia, 18, was found at
the scene with a gunshot wound, and was transported by ambulance to Reeves
County Hospital, while EMS workers at the scene also treated a second person,
identified as Jesus Manuel Martinez, 25, for injuries.

Garcia suffered from a minor gunshot wound to the back of the head and
was transported to Reeves County Hospital were he was treated and released.
Martinez sustained one broken bone after being beaten with the baseball
bat, Davis said.

He added that shortly before the assault and shooting, there had been
an altercation one block away, at 2310 S. Eddy St., where a car window had
been broken.

Davis said the car located at the address was registered to Ruben Jimenez,
who was later identified as having fired shots at the Country Club Drive
altercation.

While at the location on Country Club Drive, Jimenez told officers that
he began shooting only after Brown Pride Gang members had fired shots at
him.

About 30 minutes after police and EMS workers received the first emergency
call, a second call was received in reference to a male subject with a gunshot
wound, who was at a home about a mile away.

"A call came in at 2:34 a.m. at the 200 block of West 14th in reference
to a male subject with gun shot wounds to the head," Davis said. "The individual
was Julian Olivas Jr."

Olivas, 20 was transported by ambulance to Reeves County Hospital where
he refused treatment and was released, Davis said.

"He was involved in the incident," he said. "He started running when the
shooting occurred."

At the scene, Davis said that they had recovered four bullet shells, but
no gun. He added that they did however recover a knife and baseball bats
at various locations.

An additional individual involved was identified as Miguel Jurado, 17.
Davis said that both Garcia and Jurado had walked up to the scene where
the shootings occurred.

The report also stated that the vehicle the gang members were in was
also vandalized at the scene, with the windshield broken out and both tires
on the driver's side of the vehicle punctured.

Davis added the incident took place at the residence of Mark Salazar
and that the vehicle that was vandalized on Country Club Drive belonged
to Elario Bustamantes.

Davis said that the case is still pending.

"We anticipate filing additional charges in the future," Davis said.

Lead investigator for the case is Armando Granado, Davis added.

TDH settling into new home,

as clients hunt parking spaces

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., May 29, 2003 -- Caseworkers with the Department of Human Services
are ready to handle clients at their new location at 324 S. Cypress St.
in downtown Pecos.

"We started moving on Friday and moved more things in on Saturday," said
Department of Human Services Director Rey Carreon. "They also worked on
Monday."

Carreon said that the reason for the move was made because the main office
decided they wanted to try a new location after the lease was up at their
former building. "They found this one and they liked it and decided to move
us here," he said.

Clients are being asked to park in the front in the meantime, until more
parking spaces are found. "We're in the process of working on that," said
Carreon. "The landlord is trying to see if he can find some more parking
for us across the street or the side," he said.

Carreon said that caseworkers were ready to help clients since Tuesday,
even though there are still some boxes to unpack.

"We have some items to unpack and others to locate, but the case workers
have their computers and everything is ready for them to help clients,"
he said. "As far as providing services, we're already doing that."

The Department of Human Services had been formerly located at 1705 W.
Fourth Street, the old Keith Camp building. The new site is now situated
next to where Valor Telecom workers park their trucks.

"I don't think we'll be able to use that lot for parking, because they
are using it," said Carreon. "But we'll work something out."

Winners named for Balmorhea Shrimp Festival

PECOS, Thurs., May 29, 2003 -- Winners of the Balmorhea Shrimp Festival
received special prizes for their efforts. The festival was held last weekend
in Downtown Balmorhea.

Winners included first place, Adan Rivera of Alpine; second place, Fidel
Vasquez of Odessa; third place, Ricky Young of Fort Stockton; fourth place,
Chris Crider and Mike Peacock of Balmorhea and fifth place, Jimmy and Pamela
Salcido of Fort Davis.